The Supergal Original Soundtrack

13 Tracks; 35:30

1. Prolog: Super Deadly Trap 6:02

2. Koganemaru, Watashi ga... [Koganemaru, I...] 1:02

3. BINBO '86 (POOR '86) 3:24

Vocal: Kirara and Urara

4. TANATOSU [Thanatos] 2:00

5. PATORORU SUTANPIIDO [Patrol Stampede] 1:53

6. PURIIJINGU MARIS [Pleading Maris] 3:45

7. Midori no RARABAI [Green Lullaby] 4:14

vocal: Yamazawa Shouko

8. MARIS NO PAWAAHOMU [Maris' Powerhome] 1:00

9. BATORU ROYARU '88 [Battle Royal 88] 1:24

10. Shuryu no Nakiwarai [Leader's Laughter and Tears] 0:41

11. INTAAKOSUMOSU RUUSAABU TAUN MACHI [Intercosmos Lusub Town Match] 4:31

12. Yen no IRUMINEISHON [Yen's Illumination] 1:32

13. BUIN BUIN BUIN 3:45

Vocal: Kirara and Urara

—by Charles McCarter

Every now and then I get the urge to dig through my CD collection and rediscover something old. Sure, all this EVA and COWBOY BEBOP stuff is great, but there were a lot of great shows with great soundtracks back in the—dare I say it?—the 1980s!
Longtime fans of manga genius Takahashi Rumiko will no doubt remember her RUMIC WORLD series, an anthology series that counts intense science fiction and horror stories like FIRE TRIPPER and LAUGHING TARGET. But the first installment of RUMIC WORLD was the science fiction comedy THE CHOUJO (THE SUPERGAL). When it was originally released in the United States, a certain big comic book company had a problem with the name and so future releases were labeled as MARIS THE CHOUJO. Poor Maris. Even in American release she was plagued by problems.
Maris is exactly what the title describes her as: a woman with superhuman strength. She's so strong that she has to wear a restraining harness so she doesn't destroy everything "accidentally." She and her sidekick, the shape-changing multi-tailed fox Murphy, are assigned to recover a kidnapped man, but complications arise when Maris falls in love with him at first sight.
Sound like a typical Takahashi routine? Well, it sort of is. And the music contributes an overall lighthearted and fun atmosphere. There's really no sturm und drang drama on this CD. The first track, "Prolog: Super Deadly Trap," is very tongue-in-cheek. It starts off very slow and serious and quickly moves into something much more peppy. And while one can visualize the space chase that's going on, there certainly is no feeling of foreboding as one listens.
The vocals are all sugary-sweet J-pop from the early 1980's, so be sure you've been to the dentist lately. And I still have yet to find anyone who can tell me what "Buin" is (as in the title of track 13, "Buin Buin Buin.") The strength of these songs lies not so much in the vocal talents of the performers (after all, when was the last time anyone heard from Kirara and Urara?), but in the insipid yet infectious cuteness of the music. "BINBO '86" is certainly as addictive as other sugary J-pop anime songs, like any of the songs performed by Minmay in MACROSS.
The song "Green Lullaby," however, stands out as perhaps the only really serious track on the CD. With haunting vocals and a lilting ballad, it sounds like something better suited to AREA 88 rather than THE SUPERGAL. It's serious, but it works with the rest of the album in a strange way.
All the music on this CD shows its age—it's 1980s pop music. And as background music, it's really not too bad. Of course, if you're looking for great stirring compositions, you had best look elsewhere. Some of the tracks—especially the shorter ones—do seem a bit formulaic and hackneyed, like the second track, which is obviously supposed to be the "romance track." One can almost see the hearts and flower petals flying around.
Probably one of the best reasons to have this CD is so that you can recall all the funny things that happened as you listen to the music. For example, when listening to the vocals, its very easy to recall the frantic beach scene, with special guest appearances by other Takahashi characters, or the end credits, which are done in the form of "outtakes," and years before any of these recent animated movies that have done so.
In short, if you're a fan of 80s BGM, the music for Takahashi's other 80s series, or just a fan of Maris, you will enjoy this CD. If, however, you've never seen or even heard of this before, then this is not the CD for you to buy. Which is probably a lucky thing, since it's going to be hard to find.